This bill amends Montana's health insurance laws to expand coverage for hearing loss from only children to individuals of all ages. Specifically, it revises Section 33-22-128 to remove the age limitation, allowing coverage for any person diagnosed with hearing loss. The language changes include the deletion of "children with" and "child 18 years of age or younger," and the insertion of "person" to ensure that the coverage applies to all ages. Additionally, the bill maintains that treatment must be medically necessary and prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 2-18-704 to ensure that insurance contracts must include provisions for hearing loss treatment, aligning with the new coverage requirements. This legislative change aims to enhance access to necessary medical care for individuals experiencing hearing loss, thereby promoting better health outcomes across the population. The bill also stipulates that coverage may be subject to standard deductibles and copayments, but cannot impose special limitations that are not applicable to other medical care.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_1(1): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_1(10): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_1(2): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_1(3): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_1(4): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_1(5): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_1(6): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_1(7): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_1(8): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_1(9): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_1: 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_X(1): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_X(2): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_X(3): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_X(4): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_X(5): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_X(6): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_X(7): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_X(8): 2-18-704, 33-22-128
HB0607_X: 2-18-704, 33-22-128